Internal combustion pump



Dec. 27, 1955 Filed Sept. 24, 1954 A. W. TIEFENTHALER INTERNAL. COMBUSTION PUMP 3 Sheets-Sheet l F/G. f

AIVflEEW 14 TIE/ENTf/ALEZ Dec. 27, 1955 A. w. TIEFENTHALER 2,728,303

INTERNAL COMBUSTION PUMP 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 24, 1954 44 0/8514 14 77EFfA/77/ALE2 INVENTOR YBY ATTORNEY Dec. 27, 1955 A. w. TIEFENTHALER 2,7 ,3

INTERNAL COMBUSTION PUMP 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 24. 1954 F- LI I l l F/G. 5 INVENTOR A/vflefn/ M Wa m/7H4 LE2 BY Wmm#/UW ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,728,303 INTERNAL COMBUSTION PUMP Andrew W. Tiefenthaler, Anaconda, Mont. Application September 24, 1954, Serial No. 458,059 Claims. (Cl. 103-249) This invention relates to fluid pumps, and more particularly to an improved internal combustion pump in which the products of combustion act directly on a fluid.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved internal combustion pump which is simple in construction, which involves a minimum number of parts, and wherein the forces developed by the ignition of the fuel are directed efliciently so as to provide a free flow of the fluid through the pump as well as an increased capacity of the pump for a given rate of fuel consumption than has been heretofore obtainable with previously known apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved internal combustion pump which involves inexpensive components, which is rugged in construction, which is reliable in operation, which is economical in fuel consumption and which is suitable for a wide range of applications.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a vertical cross sectional view taken longitudinally through an improved internal combustion pump constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line -2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical cross sectional View taken on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the improved internal combustion pump is designated generally at 11. The pump 11 comprises a generally rectangular main housing 12 which is formed with the supporting flanges 13 and 14 having the apertured base lugs 15 and 16, whereby the housing may be secured to a suitable supporting surface.

Secured in the housing and extending centrally through its opposite end walls 17 and 18 is a conduit member 19 having the flanged inlet end 20 and the externally tapered outlet end 21. Secured to the flanged inlet end 20 is the fluid inlet fitting 22 having'the flanged end 23 adapted to be connected to a fluid supply conduit, the fitting 22 being provided with the pivoted check valve 24 adapted to admit fluid into the fitting 22 but to prevent reverse flow of fluid from said fitting.

The fitting 22 may be a T-fitting, as shown in Figure l, and is provided with a removable cover plate 25 which is arranged on the end of the stem portion of the T- fitting, as shown, and which may be at times removed to provide access to the interior of the fitting for cleaning thereof, or the like.

Designated at 26 is a generally conical hollow body having the flange 27 at its large end, said flange being secured to the end wall 17 of housing 12, as shown, the conical body 26 being arranged coaxially with the conduit member 19 and overlying the taperedoutlet end bers 37, 37

.tions 56 of the cams 50.

portion 21 of said conduit member and forming a combustion chamber. As is clearly shown in Figure l, the end of the outlet portion 21 of the conduit member is spaced from the throat portion 28 of the conical body 26. As shown, the throat portion 28 is relatively short and is substantially cylindrical, merging with the flaring outlet portion 29, thus defining a venturi member.

Designated at 30 is a sleeve-like piston member which is slidably mounted in the conduit 19 adjacent the outlet end portion 21 of said conduit, the end of the piston 30 being formed with the annular conical sealing surface 32 adapted to sealingly engage with the inside surface of the small end portion of the conical chamber 26, as shown in Figure 1.

The main body portion of the piston member 30 is formed with the cylindrical sections 33 provided with sealing rings 34, whereby the main body of the sleevelike piston 33 is slidably sealed with respect to the inside surface of the conduit member 19.

The conduit member 19 is formed between a pair of sets of sealing rings 34 with diametrically opposed longitudinal slots 35 through which slidably project respective diametrically opposed pin members 36, 36 secured to the sleeve-like piston 30. The pin members 36 are respectively rigidly connected to cylindrical head memmember 19, as shown in Figure 2, and which are integrally connected by respective pairs of arms 38, 38 to respective transversely extending bars 39. Disposed parallel to the respective bars 39 are respective bars 40 whose end portions are connected to the bars 39 by respective pairs of bolts 41, coiled springs 42 being provided on the bolts 41 between the bars 40 and 39, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Rigidly secured to the conduit member 19 on diametrically opposite portions thereof and projecting centrally transversely beneath the bars 40 are respective apertured guide lugs 44, 44 through which slidably extend respective connecting pins 45, 45, said pins having reduced stud portions 46 extending through the bars 40 and 39 and provided at their ends with the fastening nuts 47, as shown in dotted view in Figure 1, whereby the nuts 47 cooperate with similar nuts 48 on the ends of the bolts 41 to place the springs 42 under tension and to provide a resilient connection between each head member 37 and its associated connecting pin 45.

Journaled to 'the end follower roller 49 adjacent cam 50. The cams 50 are mounted on respective shafts 51 journaled in the housing on opposite sides of the conduit member 19, as shown in Figure 2, each shaft 51 having mounted thereon a gear 53 meshing with a respective gear 54 provided on a drive shaft 55 journaled in the housing 12 transverse to and spaced from the conduit member 19.

The shaft 55 may be driven by any suitable external means, such as a small auxiliary engine, an electric motor, or the like.

The peripheries of the earns 50 are formed with recessed portions 56 into which the follower rollers 49 may of each connecting pin 45 is a move at times. Designated at 57, 57 are respective coiled v springs mounted between the ends of the head members 37, 37 and the adjacent wall 17 of housing 12, biasing the head members 37 to the right, as viewed in Figure 2, and thus acting to bias the cylindrical piston 30 to the right, as viewed in Figure 1. Thus, the rollers 49 are biased against the peripheries of the respective cams 50, whereby the piston 30 is moved toward the right, as viewed in Figure l, by the expansion of the springs 57, 57 when the rollers 49 enter the recessed peripheral por- Designated respectively at 60 and 61 are respective which are arranged parallel to the conduit additional which engages the periphery of an poppet valves provided in the wall 17 of the housing 12 and" having respective valve stems $2. and 63" arranged parallel to the conduit member 19, as shown in Figures 1 and Z. The valve stem 62: extends slidably through a fuel inlet fitting 64 secured to walll] and corrm'iunicat i gwnn the interior of the combustion'chamber 28, as shown in Figure l The valve stem ss extends slidably through a similar exhaustifitting 65' communicating with theinterior'of the chamber 26. Rcspective'coilbd springs 66 are provided on the valve stems between the respective fittings 64, 6'5 and collars 67 secured on the stems, biasing the valves {all and 61 toward seating engagement with the wall 17, namely, toward closed positions.

Thevalve stemfs 62' and 63 extend adjacent the shaft S S and'areadapted to be respectively engaged by respec-.

tivcea'rns 6t; and'ii9 mounted on shaft'd". the cam 68' is arranged to open the valve 63' for a brief period while the conical end 32 of the. sleeve member"3li'is'in sealing engagement with the inside surface of the small end of the chamber 26 to admit fuel from a fuel supply conduit 7i} into the combustion chamber 26. The cam 6? is arranged to open the exhaust valve l'after combustion has occurred and after the follower rollers 43 have entered and passed through the recesses 56" in the peripheries of thecarns 59', namely, after the conical end 32 has returned into sealing engagement with the inside surface of the chamber 26.

Mounted in the conical wall of the chamber is a spark plug 72 which is connected to a suitable ignition circuit timed to provide a spark in the chamber 26 sub sequent to the closure of the fuel inlet valve 655 and during the period while the sealing portion 32 of the sleeve member 30 is in sealing engagement with the inside surface of the chamber 26'.

The cam 68 may be arranged with its raised portion substantially 18.0 separated in phase from the raised portion of the cam 6'9, whereby, in the arrangement illustrated, in Figure l, the exnaust valve period after the sleeve member 30' is returned into sealing' engagement with the inside surface of the chamber 26, subsequent to the disengagement of said sleeve memher from said inside surface by the entry of the follower rollers 49; into the recesses 56 of cams St), the cams 5'5 having clockwise rotation, as viewed in Figure 1.

In operation, fuel is first admitted intothe chamber 26 by the opening of the valve 60, as shown in Figure l, theendf 320i the sleeve member 3% being held in sealing engagement with the inside surface of the combustion chamber 26. Assuming counterclockwise rotation of the drive shaft 55, as viewed in Figure 1, the valve 6t)- then closes and the. cams at? rotate clockwise. ignition of the fuel in the chamber 26 then takes place, after which the cams 59 have been rotated clockwise sufliciently'to allow the follower rollers 59 to enter the recesses 56, allowing the sleeve member 3 to be moved to the right, as viewed in Figure l', by the expansion of the springs 57', whereby the expanding products of combustion blow the fluid in the conduit 19: through the venturi. 2.3 and the flaring portion 29 of the member 26; The continued rotation of the cams 56 moves the sleeve member 30 to the left and moves the conical end 32 thereof into sealing engagement with the inside surface of the member 26, after which the cam 6? opens the exhaust valve 61 and allows the products of combustion to be exhausted from the chamber 26 through an exhaust conduit73 connected to the exhaust fitting 6S. Shortly thereafter, theexhaust valve 61 closes, and the action is repeated', with the opening of cam 68.

The ignition timer associated with. the spark: plug. 72

may be actuated by the drive shaft 55 and may be enclosed in the housing 12, if so desired.

The camsv 50 are so designed soas to effect a; disengagement of the piston member 30 from theinsidesurface of the chamber 26-for a relatively short period; sum- 61 will open a short defined by the throat the fuel inlet valve 60- by the cient to allow the fluid to be blown through the outlet portion 290i member 26by the products ofcombustion;

The pump housing 12 is preferably liquid tight and may contain a suitable oil pump and reservoir for lubrication of the piston, bearings, and linkages of the pump when the pump is employed under submerged conditions.

it will be apparent that the conical shape of the combustion chamber 26 is such that the force of the explosion in the chamber directs the products of combustion into the discharge venturi, creating a vacuum which draws the fluid in conduit 19 forwardly through the fluid inlet, as well as forcing the fluid through the discharge venturi.

The pump above described is inherently very flexible in nature and may be operated in series with other pumps of the same type.

While a specific embodiment of an improved internal combustion pump has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications-within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims;

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid pump comprising a conduit having an inlbt end and an outlet end, a sleeve-like piston slidably mount ed in said conduit adjacent said outlet end, a hollow body secured around said outlet end and forming a combustion chamber and having a discharge conduit aligned with said sleeve-like piston and spaced from said outlet end, said sleeve-like piston being movable into sealing engagement with the wall of said body adjacent said discharge conduit, ignition means. in said chamber, a fuel admission valve connected to said chamber, an exhaust valve con nected to said chamber, and means arranged to first open said fuel admission valve for a short'periodwhile the piston is in said sealing engagement, wherebythe fuel isignited, and then to move said piston away from said" wall, whereby the fluid is blown through said discharge conduit by the ignition of the fuel.

2. A fluid pump comprising a conduit having an inlet end and an outlet end, a check valve in said inlet end arranged to admit fluid into said conduit, 21 sleeve-like piston slidably mounted in said conduit adjacent. said outlet end, a hollow body secured around said outlet end and forming a combustion chamber and having a discharge conduit aligned with said sleeve-like piston and spaced from said outlet end, saidsleeve-like piston being movable into sealing engagement with the wall of said. body adjacent. said discharge conduit, ignition means in said chamber, a fuel admission valveconnected to said chamber, an exhaust valve connected to saidchamber, and means arranged to first open said fuel admission. valve for a short period while the piston is in such-sealing engagement whereby the fuel is ignited, then to move said piston briefly away from said wall, whereby the, fluid-is blown through said discharge conduit by the ignition. of. the fuel, after which said piston is returned into said sealing engagement, then to open said exhaust valve for a short period.

3. A fluidpump comprising a support, a conduit mount.- ed onsaid'support, said conduit having an inlet endland an outletend, a check valve-insaid-inlet end arrangedtov admit fluid into said conduit, a sleeve-like piston slidably mounted insaid conduit adjacent said outlet end, a hollow body secured around said outlet end'and forminga com.- bustion. chamber and havinga discharge, conduit aligned, with, said. sleeve-like pistonand spaced; from said; outlet; end,, .said sleeve-.likewpiston being movable into sealing; engagement with the wall of said body adjacenttsaiddis charge conduit, means reciprocating? said piston toward and away, from, sealing, engagementwithsaid body wall, ignition. means; in the chamber, a fuel? admission valve".- connected to said. chamber; an exhaust; valve con. nected to saidchamber, and means operatively: coupled? with said reciprocating means and arranged to briefly open said fuel admission valve while the piston makes sealing engagement with said wall, after which the fuel admission valve closes and the piston moves away from said wall, allowing the fluid to be blown through said discharge conduit by the ignition of the fuel, and then to briefly open the exhaust valve when the piston again makes sealing contact with said wall.

4. A fluid pump comprising a support, a conduit mounted on said support, said conduit having an inlet end and an outlet end, a check valve in said inlet end arranged to admit fluid into said conduit, a sleeve-like piston slidably mounted in said conduit adjacent said outlet end, a hollow body secured around said outlet end and forming a combustion chamber and having a discharge conduit aligned with said sleeve-like piston and spaced from said outlet end, said sleeve-like piston being movable into sealing engagement with the wall of said body adjacent said discharge conduit, cooperating cam and follower means on the support and piston arranged to reciprocate said piston toward and away from sealing engagement with said body wall, ignition means in said chamber, a fuel admission valve connected to said chamber, an exhaust valve connected to said chamber, and further cam and follower means on the fuel intake and exhaust valves operatively coupled with said first-named cam means, said second-named cam and follower means being arranged to briefly open said fuel admission valve while the piston makes sealing engagement with said wall, after which the fuel admission valve closes and the piston moves away from said wall, allowing the fluid to be blown through said discharge conduit by the ignition of the fuel, and then to briefly open the exhaust valve when the piston again makes sealing contact with said wall.

5. A fluid pump comprising a support, a conduit mounted on said support, said conduit having an inlet end and an outlet end, a check valve in said inlet end arranged to admit fluid into said conduit, a sleeve-like piston slidably mounted in said conduit adjacent said outlet end, a hollow body secured around said outlet end and forming a combustion chamber and having a discharge conduit aligned with said sleeve-like piston and spaced from said outlet end, said sleeve-like piston being movable into sealing engagement with the wall of said body adjacent said discharge conduit, means reciprocating said piston toward and away from sealing engagement with said body wall, ignition means in said chamber, a fuel admission valve connected to said chamber, an exhaust valve connected to said chamber, a cam shaft rotatably mounted on said support and driven concurrently with said reciprocating means, and respective cams on said cam shaft engageable with said fuel admission and exhaust valves and arranged to briefly open said fuel admission valve while the piston makes sealing engagement with said wall, after which the fuel admission valve closes and the piston moves allowing the fluid to be blown through said discharge conduit by the ignition of the fuel, and then to briefly open the exhaust valve when the piston again makes sealing contact with said wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

